One of the biggest Buddhist celebrations of the year, the annual Esala Perahera is a religious ceremony during which devotees pray for good rains to cultivate the crops. One of Buddhism’s most sacred relics, the Sacred Tooth is taken from the Temple of the Tooth and paraded through the streets. Following this, more festive events take centre stage and visitors can expect to see a lively cast of dancers, jugglers and fire-breathers milling amongst the crowds.

Kandy Day Perahera Tickets – 04th August 2021
Esala Perahera (the festival of the tooth of Lord Buddha) is the grand festival of the month of August held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and nicely decorated Elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments.
The Esala Perahera in Kandy is believed to be a fusion of two separate but interconnected “Peraheras” (Processions) – The Esala and Dalada. The Esala Perahera which is thought to date back to the 3rd century BC, was a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall. The Dalada Perahera is believed to have begun when the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka from India during the 4th Century AD.
The TOOTH RELIC was taken in procession to Sri Lanka by Princess Hemamala& Prince Dantha.

Diya Kepeema and the Day Perahera
After a further five nights of the RandoliPerahera, the pageant ends with the Diya Kepeema, which is the water cutting ceremony at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, a town a few miles from Kandy. A Day Perahera is held to mark the ceremony.